Japan shun Kagawa in bid to reclaim Asian Cup

Osako, Nagatomo to support young squad

TOKYO, Dec 12, (AFP): Japan dropped former Manchester United star Shinji Kagawa from the Blue Samurai’s bid to reclaim the Asian Cup, opting instead for a squad filled with young Europe-based talents.

Coach Hajime Moriyasu on Wednesday selected several players with only a handful of caps to their names for Asia’s showcase football tournament in the United Arab Emirates starting in January.

The likes of Ritsu Doan of Groningen, Shoya Nakajima of Portimonense and Takumi Minamino of Salzburg will lead Japan’s bid for a record-extending fifth title.

But there was no place for midfielder Kagawa, 29, now struggling for playing time at Borussia Dortmund.

Kagawa has long been among the leading stars of Blue Samurai and at his German outfit, but the attacking player has found himself unable to get regular first-team football under Dortmund coach Lucien Favre.

He told Japanese media last month that he wished to move to Spain to take on a new challenge. Moriyasu suggested he had been tempted to turn to veterans like Kagawa, but said he needed to pick players in their best form.

“Of course, I wanted help from experienced players, those who went to the Russian World Cup and those who have led Japan for years,” Moriyasu told a press conference.

Kagawa

“Many of the players whom we selected at this time have only limited experiences. I have chosen them with hopes that they would take the ownership of the team and build the national team themselves and fight for the title,” he said.

However, the young squad will be supported by Werder Bremen striker Yuya Osako and Galatasaray defender Yuto Nagatomo, both veterans of past World Cups.

Japan won the Asian Cup in 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2011, but failed in the last edition, won by Australia in 2015.

“Japan’s national team did not win the title last time. We will reclaim the Asian Cup and bring back the title,” Moriyasu said.

Masaaki Higashiguchi (Gamba Osaka/ JPN), Shuichi Gonda (Sagan Tosu/JPN), Daniel Schmidt (Vegalta Sendai/JPN), Yuto Nagatomo (Galatasaray/ TUR), Tomoaki Makino (Urawa Red Diamonds/JPN), Maya Yoshida (Southampton/ENG), Sho Sasaki (Sanfrecce Hiroshima/JPN), Hiroki Sakai (Marseille/FRA), Sei Muroya (FC Tokyo/JPN), Genta Miura (Gamba Osaka/JPN), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Sint-Truiden/BEL), Toshihiro Aoyama (Sanfrecce Hiroshima/JPN), Genki Haraguchi (Hannover96/GER), Gaku Shibasaki (Getafe/ESP), Wataru Endo (Sint-Truiden/BEL), Junya Ito (Kashiwa Reysol/JPN), Shoya Nakajima (Portimonense/POR), Takumi Minamino (Salzburg/AUT), Hidemasa Morita (Kawasaki Frontale/JPN), Ritsu Doan (FC Groningen/ NED), Yuya Osako (Werder Bremen/GER), Takuma Asano (Hannover96/GER), Koya Kitagawa (Shimizu SPulse/JPN) BERLIN, Dec 12, (AFP): Borussia Dortmund are hoping to avoid excoach Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool when the last 16 of the Champions League is drawn on Monday.

Liverpool’s tense 1-0 win over Napoli on Tuesday at Anfield, thanks to a great save by Reds’ goalkeeper Alisson Becker and a goal from Mohamed Salah, saw Klopp’s team squeeze into the knock-out stages in Europe as Group C runners-up.

“It doesn’t have to be Liverpool in the next round,” CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke replied tersely when asked if he wants to draw Liverpool in the next round. After Raphael Guerreiro scored twice in Tuesday’s 2-0 win at Monaco, Dortmund are also into the last 16 as winners of Group A ahead of Atletico Madrid, but eager to avoid Liverpool and Klopp, who led the German club to back to back Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012.

“Liverpool? That would be tough, but whoever we get, it will be tense and difficult,” said Germany midfielder Mario Goetze, who captained Dortmund in Monaco. Klopp has already returned to Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park, when Liverpool earned a 1-1 draw in Europa League quarter-finals, first leg, in 201516 before the Reds’ won the return 4-3 at Anfield, coming back from 3-1 down on their way to losing the final 3-1 against Seville. The draw for next February’s Champions League last 16 ties is scheduled for 1100 GMT on Monday in Nyon with Barcelona, Paris-Saint Germain, under ex-Borussia coach Thomas Tuchel, Porto and Real Madrid all confirmed group winners alongside Dortmund.

No club can face an opponent from their group and teams from the same country can only be drawn together from the quarter-finals onwards.

In addition to Liverpool, Tottenham and Roma will be in the pot of secondplace finishers. Dortmund’s other potential opponents are Ajax and also Lyon or Shakhtar Dontesk and Manchester United or Juventus.

See Also Page 31

Dortmund’s Julian Weigl (left), fights for the ball with Monaco forward Radamel Falcao during the Champions League Group A soccer match between AS Monaco and Borussia Dortmund in Monaco on Dec 11. (AP)